


The Poisoned River

by Talysman



Category: Ski Jumping RPF
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Nature, South Africa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-23
Updated: 2015-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-03 01:34:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5271596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talysman/pseuds/Talysman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone devilish poisoned the Makutsi River in South Africa. The wild life is dying. Charlie Jones, the guardian of the reserve, calls the best scientists Janne Happonen and Harri Olli to save the river. It's cerrtainly not an accident. And why is Jim Dallas the poacher in the reserve? And why is there a spy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Poisoned River

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written in 2010. As I am not a native English speaker, I apologize for the grammar mistakes.

It was a hot night like all the others. The moon was shining and lightening the landscape. The trees were dark, the soil seemed to be grey and the river was reflecting the lights and shadows. There was no wind. Somewhere in the background an animal was screaming. Maybe a hyena. It probably found the dead body of a springbok. Elliot Wumbatt was forty-five years old with grey hair and a bit too fat. He was sweating. But he was thinking than in less than half an hour he would be home, having a shower, smoking a cigar and drinking a good whisky. But not yet. First he had to finish his mission. He was not happy to do it. He felt guilty. He remembered that his father worked hard to create that fruit company in that region. When he died Elliot became the owner and modernized the business. It was quite successful. But since a couple of years it was more difficult. The competitors from the west of the country had much bigger fields and hundreds times more employees. It seemed that the family company would disappear quickly if he didn’t find new customers. Some weeks ago he got a phone call from a mysterious lady that offered him a lot of money if he agreed to execute her mission. He accepted but reluctantly. He squashed a mosquito that was trying to drink his blood on his forehead. The poor insect or what was left fall on the ground. “Pour it,” he ordered to his loyal employee. The man poured the red liquid that was stored in a jerry can in the river. “What will happen?” asked the employee. “You will be rich if you shut up. Now go home,” the boss said.

Arriving with the morning flight from New York the passenger with the light blue suitcase was tired. In the American city he assisted during three days to a conference about the climate changes and had a speech about his observations in Antarctica. He hoped that the governments from the whole world would listen and take the right decisions to avoid the programmed disaster. Outside it was very cold. The thermometer showed -24°C and the wind was quite strong. He wore his hat and closed his jacket until his mouth. He jumped in a taxi that drove him to his office in the centre of the Finnish capital Helsinki in a modern building at the third floor. When the doors of the lift opened his assistant with long blond hair welcomed him with a wide smile. “I made some coffee. You must be cold. Give me your coat,” she said with energy. But he was so tired that he stayed silent.

He sat in his black leather chair, took off his tie and drank some coffee. He was happy to relax. On his desk there was a pile of papers. He knew that he would have a busy week. “How was the conference, Dr Happonen?” she said when she entered in his office. “Well Minna. Like all the previous conferences. You warn with scientific evidences but nobody cares. The governments prefer to preserve their economic interests. To save our planet costs a lot of money and they seem to don’t understand that they will lose much more money if they don’t react now. I’m too tired to always repeat the same to people who don’t care. In my point of view, the climate will totally change in less than thirty years and many people will die, the oceans will cover entire countries, the desserts will become bigger. What can I do?” “You do your best. We need people like you. Never stop fighting,” she said with her sweet and warm voice. “Thanks. But since five years I’m doing this I can’t see any positive evolution.”

Suddenly the phone rang. He put his cup of coffee on his desk, coughed and answered: “Dr Happonen… Yes… When?... Who?... What is the situation?... I come as soon as possible. Thank you for calling.” Minna was waiting for more details of the phone call. “I need Harri. Call him immediately,” he said almost in a panic. “What should I tell him?” “To take the first flight to Hoedspruit via Pretoria in South Africa.”  
Charlie Jones was close to fifty years old. That morning he didn’t have time to shave. He was stressed and was eating his finger nails. The situation was bad and he needed help of specialists. Three days ago he noticed that two giraffes and a lion were sick. It was really rare in this season. Their health got bad very quickly and a giraffe already died. He didn’t know if the medical team would be able to save the other animals. Before to come to the small airport of Hoedspruit, he was horrified to see that many other wild animals were infected. The little white plane from the local company Safari Airline landed in a cloud of sand. It was January but in South Africa it was one of the hottest months of the year. The vegetation was already quite dry. Before to welcome the two foreigners, he erased the drops of sweat on his forehead.

When the door of the plane opened the Finns had a huge thermal shock. They left their home country Finland in the darkness of winter with 40 cm of snow and a temperature of 20°C below zero. There in South Africa it was summer with a bright sun and a temperature over 30 degrees. They went down the stairs and walked to Charlie Jones. “Charlie Jones. Welcome to South Africa. I hope that you had a pleasant flight,” he greeted. “Thank you. Everything was fine. Nice to meet you. I’m Dr Happonen. It was me at the phone and here is my teammate, Dr Olli,” Janne Happonen said while he wore his sunglasses. He was wearing a white t-shirt with a beige cardigan, dark olive trousers and dark brown cowboy boots that he bought in Texas two years ago. Behind Dr Olli took off his jacket and looked at the landscape. The bushes were dark brown, burnt by the sun. The trees still had some dark green leaves. In the background there were some mountains. He was thinking that the most fascinating animals on that planet were living there. But someone with bad intention decided to kill them. This monster had to be found as fast as possible.

Charlie Jones drove his 4x4 on the sand tracks. He explained that most of that region was protected divided into a couple of national parks. The most famous park was of course the Kruger Park near the border with the Mozambique. He was working in the Makutsi Park. It was not the most known but the elephant lovers could admire some of the most beautiful animals. The park was crossed by the spring water of the Makutsi River. It was because of that river that that place was a paradise for many animals especially in that period which was hot and dry.

While Charlie Jones and the Dr Happonen were talking at the front, the Dr Olli at the back was looking at the landscape and wrote some notes in his little book. He was wearing a dark brown Australian hat, Ray-ban sunglasses, a light beige shirt and long brown trousers with hiking shoes. Few years ago he went to Senegal wearing shorts. But a snake bit his right calf and he was close to die. Since that bad experience he was always wearing trousers whatever the temperature was.

Suddenly Jones stopped the car. He took his rifle and asked the passengers to stay inside. “What’s going on?” Harri asked. “There is a dead rhinoceros behind the bush. He will check if he can identify why it is dead and if there is no danger,” Janne Happonen replied. Jones made a sign and the passengers joined him. Happonen came closer to the animal and checked his mouth and his eye. “Do you know why it is dead?” the guardian of the reserve asked. “Not yet. We have to analyze more in detail.” Havu took some pictures of the animal and the landscape around. Harri was walking a bit apart and looked at the sand. He noticed that the animal had some difficulties to walk before to die.

“What is common to a rhinoceros, a giraffe and a lion?” asked Happonen. “They all live on the same territory,” commented Jones. “Water. They all drink water,” said Harri. “You must be right!” exclaimed Happonen before to ask Charlie Jones about all the possible sources of water. “I’ll drive you first to the village and then we’ll go to the rivers and ponds.” The two scientists accepted the proposition.

Elliot Wumbatt closed the door of his office. On the chair in front of his desk there was the famous Jim Dallas. The must known of all the poachers of the region. He was smoking a long cigar that smelled bad. Mr Wumbatt coughed and sat. “Do you know why you are here?” he said. The man in front of him had very scary ice blue eyes. His skin was burnt by the sun and his blond hair was sticky. “Sure, I got the message,” he replied with a hoarse voice. Wumbatt was thrilling. “Bring me what I ordered and you’ll be rich.” “And what about the guardian in the reserve?” Dallas asked. “I’ve poisoned the river to make your job easier. The guardian and the scientists will be focused on it and you will be free to move and to execute your mission. Any other questions?” the entrepreneur asked. “When will I be paid?” “10% now and the rest after the delivery.” The poacher drank his glass of whisky and accepted the offer.

When he left Wumbatt called his favourite spy, Lolita Fernandez. Lolita was an experimented retired spy. She was operating in the early nineties for the Boer group. But when the Black people took the power in the government she decided to change job. She was only spying when it worth it. The only exception was Elliot Wumbatt that hired her in his company as assistant. She was proud to work for the last white farmer in the region. She was pretty upset to see that the blacks had their own businesses. “I want you to follow Jim Dallas and check if he executes his mission and don’t talk about it in bars. I’ll give you a good cheque at the end of the mission.” “Yes, sure. I start my mission immediately,” the blond forty-three years old woman answered with a smile.

Some hours later another plane from the company Safari Airline landed in a cloud of sand. When it stopped a very elegant lady walked down. She was 182cm high, slim, wearing a long white dress, sunglasses, a Channel purse and her blond hair was hidden under a shawl. “Welcome to South Africa, Miss Brook,” Elliot Wumbatt wished but the answer was as cold as ice. “Where’s the car?” she asked with authority in the voice. “Here.” And he opened the door.

Once they were in the office of Mr Wumbatt in the fruit factory, Miss Brook presented a contract to Elliot. “Sign here,” she ordered. “With pleasure. I can’t wait the moment when you’ll pay me.” “Hum. Are you sure that you are able to do this mission?” she asked with coldness. “Yes, I hired the best poacher of the savanna. He killed his first lion at the age of 6. Pretty impressive, isn’t it?” he told with a smile. “Very...” she answered bored. “I’ve also asked my private spy to have an eye on him. I want to be sure that he succeed.” “Interesting, interesting. What will you do once the mission will be ended?” she asked a bit curious. “Dallas will probably go to town to tell to everybody what he did. But I will not let him do. I don’t want that my name will be associated to that mission. And here people disappear pretty easily if you know what I mean.” “Yes, I know,” she answered thinking that this man was imagining that she was stupid. And she hated it. She was clever, she was the boss.

At the end of the afternoon, Charlie Jones and the two Finns were observing the Makutsi River. Some dead fishes were floating and the vegetation was dead. “Now it’s sure, the river is the source of the poisoning of the animals. Did it already happen in the past?” asked the Dr Happonen. “No, never,” Jones answered. “I bet that the cause is human,” said Harri while he closed a sample of water. “Let’s find this motherfucker,” he added, determined. “Harri, please. Check your language,” Havu murmured to his colleague in Finnish. “I can almost predict that if we don’t find a solution, in less than a week almost all the animals will die. Where is that river going?” Happonen asked. “To other national parks,” Jones said almost shocked. “We have to warn them. We have to stop the water somewhere. If not, South Africa will live its worst disaster in the wild life after the years of poaching,” Janne concluded.

The rumour of the poisoning of the river arrived in town. Two journalists from the local newspaper travelled to the reserve in order to get a scoop. “When we’ll be near the river I want to interview everybody. I want to know exactly what happened and who is going to find a solution,” said the black curly hair journalist. Ophelia Theo started her career some years ago but she needed a good story to be accepted in the redaction of important magazines. She was sure that it was the good opportunity. Currently it was just local news but she thought that soon it would become the subject number one in the media of the country. “I’m too hot. I’d like to have a glass of cola,” complained her stupid blond colleague. Catherin Badwin was the daughter of the boss of Ophelia but Catherin was not talented at all. Ophelia hoped that she would not compromise her success.  
In the Makutsi village, the Finns were unpacking the car and moved their bags to their little wooden cottage. The place was very charming. The house had one floor, a terrace with two rocking chairs and a table, a living room with sofas, bookshelf, TV and brochures about the park, a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom with only a shower, toilet and a washbasin. All the other cottages were empty. Charlie Jones was forced to ask the tourists to leave the reserve. “Hi, my name is Cindy Kennedy. Nothing to do with the dead president. I work here and I’m here to help you.” The two Finns looked at the girl that was maybe fourteen years old with the skin very dark, a lovely smile and eyes dark like the night. “Hello, my name is Janne. Nice to meet you.” “Hi, I’m Harri,” he simply answered. “You will save the reserve. You are gods,” she said. “Well, we’ll do everything to save the reserve but I can tell you that we are not gods. We are just two humans,” Happonen explained. Harri took the last bag that contained the water samples. “What is in this bag?” the little girl asked. “Some work. Go to play with the other girl,” Harri answered quite bored. “Don’t be rude,” Havu murmured.

“Tell me, who is the other girl living here?” Happonen asked while he sat on one of the rocking chairs. The little girl sat on the other chair and told: “She’s Sarah Wenger. She is here because she has a lot of problems and she spends her holiday her to learn to be responsible. She is not friendly with me. She says that she hates black people.” “She doesn’t mean it,” comforted the Finn. “But what we like to do is to spy Wumbatt,” she admitted with a smile that revealed her white teeth. “Who is Wumbatt?” “The guy that has the fruit factory in the north. But it’s dangerous.” “Why?” he asked curious. “Because he has a spy! Like James Bond.” “When did you spy him last time? Have you already met that spy?” he asked more and more interested. “Three days ago. And she was here. She said that Wumbatt doesn’t like nosey parkers. We said with Sarah that we threw a Frisbee but she didn’t believe it. She was not joking. We were scared,” she told. “Thanks for telling this story but don’t go there anymore. Do you promise?” Havu asked. “Yes, I promise,” she answered with a smile. “Thanks for helping me to install the material,” Harri complained. “Sorry Mister… it’s my fault. I was talking with Jane,” Cindy justified. “Janne, not Jane. It’s okay. Don’t worry, do you Harri?” Havu asked looking at his colleague. “Yeah, it’s okay. Good night little… little girl,” Harri answered.  
“Hallo, Gary?” said Kimberley Brook in the phone with her sweetest voice. She was sat on the leather chair of Wumbatt. “Yes, my dear. What’s going on?” he answered. “The project is working. Soon you’ll be rich and famous,” she confessed. “Wow, I’m impressed. He signed the contract?” “Yes, eyes closed if you know what I mean. He only saw the amount of money that he will get and he doesn’t have a copy, of course.” “You are so devilish. But it’s why I love you,” the man at the other side of the communication said. “Just before to leave I’ll say everything to the scientists and Wumbatt will go to jail.” “Who are the scientists?” Gary Trevor asked. “Two Finns. Happonen and Olli. Never heard about them,” she said before to drink a bit of wine. “Pay attention to Happonen. He is very clever. He worked previously in the army as a scout. Remember what happened in Sierra Leone. Because of him one of the biggest polluter has been arrested,” he explained. “Don’t worry. He will never hear about me before I decide it. I’m not afraid of a guy coming from North Pole,” she laughed. “Bye Gary.” “Bye Kimberley.”

“Oh bitch! I’ve to warn Wumbatt,” said Lolita Fernandez after have heard the conversation. As soon as she heard about the project she knew that this Miss Brook was strange. And she was right. Luckily she recorded that conversation. She drove her car to the cottage of her boss. She knocked on the door with energy. “Is he deaf?” she complained while she knocked again. “Yes, yes, I’m coming,” a voice from the other side of the door said. “Oh Lolita, what a nice surprise by this wonderful night,” said Elliot half sleeping and the hair messy. “Your associate is not that great,” she confessed to her boss that looked surprised. “Listen to that recording.” After have heard the recording, Wumbatt was under shock. “I know. I just did my job. What do you want that I do now?” the spy asked. “Come closer and listen carefully.”  
Janne Happonen was in the bed, ready to sleep. “Harri? Are you coming?” “Yes, yes.” He heard the voice of his colleague in the other room that seemed to be concentrating on something. “Go to bed. Tomorrow we have to save the reserve,” Janne reminded. But Harri was sat on the floor behind the living room table that was in wood and in glass. He was doing the first analysis. He thought that if he found the cause at that moment, it would be easier the next morning to provide a solution. Havu got up and walked to the living room. “Don’t work so late. You’ll do a mistake. Brush your teeth and go to bed now. It’s two in the morning,” he ordered. Harri answered that he was not a kid and that he would join him soon. When he finally went to bed he laughed. “Is it a joke? I’ve to sleep with you in the same bed?” “Harri, I will sleep. I won’t touch you. Good night,” Havu said before to move on the side and turned off the light of the night desk. “Good night,” Harri repeated.

After some minutes in the dark Harri sat. “There is a mosquito.” “Don’t worry. I’ve turn on the mosquito protection. It will die soon. And ever if it bits you, you will not have the cholera or die,” Havu explained half sleeping. “Good to know. But I will not sleep until it dies,” Harri replied.  
\-->  
Janne Happonen was in the bed, ready to sleep. “Harri? Are you coming?” “Yes, yes.” He heard the voice of his colleague in the other room that seemed to be concentrating on something. “Go to bed. Tomorrow we have to save the reserve,” Janne reminded. But Harri was sat on the floor behind the living room table that was in wood and in glass. He was doing the first analysis. He thought that if he found the cause at that moment, it would be easier the next morning to provide a solution. Havu got up and walked to the living room. “Don’t work so late. You’ll do a mistake. Brush your teeth and go to bed now. It’s two in the morning,” he ordered. Harri answered that he was not a kid and that he would join him soon. When he finally went to bed he laughed. “Is it a joke? I’ve to sleep with you in the same bed?” “Harri, I will sleep. I won’t touch you. Good night,” Havu said before to move on the side and turned off the light of the night desk. “Good night,” Harri repeated.

After some minutes in the dark Harri sat. “There is a mosquito.” “Don’t worry. I’ve turn on the mosquito protection. It will die soon. And ever if it bits you, you will not have the cholera or die,” Havu explained half sleeping. “Good to know. But I will not sleep until it dies,” Harri replied.

Janne Happonen was in the bed, ready to sleep. “Harri? Are you coming?” “Yes, yes.” He heard the voice of his colleague in the other room that seemed to be concentrating on something. “Go to bed. Tomorrow we have to save the reserve,” Janne reminded. But Harri was sat on the floor behind the living room table that was in wood and in glass. He was doing the first analysis. He thought that if he found the cause at that moment, it would be easier the next morning to provide a solution. Havu got up and walked to the living room. “Don’t work so late. You’ll do a mistake. Brush your teeth and go to bed now. It’s two in the morning,” he ordered. Harri answered that he was not a kid and that he would join him soon. When he finally went to bed he laughed. “Is it a joke? I’ve to sleep with you in the same bed?” “Harri, I will sleep. I won’t touch you. Good night,” Havu said before to move on the side and turned off the light of the night desk. “Good night,” Harri repeated.

After some minutes in the dark Harri sat. “There is a mosquito.” “Don’t worry. I’ve turn on the mosquito protection. It will die soon. And ever if it bits you, you will not have the cholera or die,” Havu explained half sleeping. “Good to know. But I will not sleep until it dies,” Harri replied.  
Janne Happonen was in the bed, ready to sleep. “Harri? Are you coming?” “Yes, yes.” He heard the voice of his colleague in the other room that seemed to be concentrating on something. “Go to bed. Tomorrow we have to save the reserve,” Janne reminded. But Harri was sat on the floor behind the living room table that was in wood and in glass. He was doing the first analysis. He thought that if he found the cause at that moment, it would be easier the next morning to provide a solution. Havu got up and walked to the living room. “Don’t work so late. You’ll do a mistake. Brush your teeth and go to bed now. It’s two in the morning,” he ordered. Harri answered that he was not a kid and that he would join him soon. When he finally went to bed he laughed. “Is it a joke? I’ve to sleep with you in the same bed?” “Harri, I will sleep. I won’t touch you. Good night,” Havu said before to move on the side and turned off the light of the night desk. “Good night,” Harri repeated.

After some minutes in the dark Harri sat. “There is a mosquito.” “Don’t worry. I’ve turn on the mosquito protection. It will die soon. And ever if it bits you, you will not have the cholera or die,” Havu explained half sleeping. “Good to know. But I will not sleep until it dies,” Harri replied.  
In the morning Jim Dallas was laid down on the dry grass setting up his rifle. The set up had to be perfect. He couldn’t miss his target. He looked through the scope in the direction of one of the most fascinating animals: the elephant of the Makutsi Park. That one was very special because he had huge ivory tusks. Some people were saying that it was over hundred years old. The king of the savanna was definitively not the lion but that elephant.

Suddenly a branch cracked behind him. He turned immediately to check what was going on. “What are you doing here?” he asked very nervous to the two girls that he didn’t expect to be there. “Put your gun down, please!” The black curly journalist ordered with a shacking voice. “Sure.” “Let me introduce myself. I’m Ophelia Theo from the magazine Savanna News and here is my colleague Catherin Badwin. We are here to discover who is killing the animals. Do you have any ideas? Do you have something to tell us?” Mrs Theo asked. Dallas was bored. These journalists were stupid and he couldn’t finish his mission. He was thinking of a mean to get rid of them. “If I tell you something, will you publish it in your magazine?” he asked. “Yes, sure. The facts are as important as the conclusions. And your name will also be published. Isn’t it great?” Ophelia said quite excited. “Ladies, I’ve something to tell you,” the poacher answered and the women were looking at him with attention. “Forget about that story and go home. Be aware of the lions on the way back. They are currently quite hungry.” And he jumped on his horse that ran on the sand and disappeared quickly in a cloud. Ophelia was not very happy about the answer of that mysterious man. Catherin was sat on a stone, eating a banana.

At the same moment somewhere in the reserve two tourists were tired after have walked some kilometres under a very hot sun. “Amie?” said the mid-long brown hair woman. “What?” answered Amie, her long black hair friend, who put her hand on her knees. “I’m so thirsty and there is no more water in the flask. What shall we do?” “I think that there is a river not too far away. Let’s go.”  
Havu was observing the river and the landscape around. Which monster was able to do that? He hoped that Harri would find quickly the cause to provide the solution. “Do you want an orange?” It was Cindy offering a fruit to Happonen in her right hand. “Yes, thanks.” When he looked at the orange he saw on the sticker Wumbatt Ltd. “I’d like to have a talk with this Mr Wumbatt,” Janne said. “Why?” asked the little girl. “To know if it’s him. I mean, maybe he used some chemicals on his fruits.”

Some minutes later Harri arrived in a jeep and joined the group. “I need more samples of the water. All my tests are negative. Have you found anything interesting?” he asked to his colleague. “Not yet but I will probably meet the fruit producer. I went with Charlie through the reserve and we found another dead rhinoceros and a baby elephant that was suffering,” confessed the Dr Happonen. “I go back to the cottage. We’ll find this monster, don’t worry,” Harri added with a smile before to take more samples. When it was done, Harri drove back to the cottage where he installed his laboratory.

Less than ten minutes later Happonen got a phone call. “Yes, Harri. What’s wrong?... What? Don’t tell me that it’s true… I join you immediately.” And he ended the conversation. “A problem?” asked Charlie Jones. “Yes, someone just stole our computer and the notes of Harri. This person doesn’t want that we find him. But he is wrong. I promise you Charlie. He will pay for it,” Havu said seriously.  
“Wait for me Amie!” begged Jackie out of energy. The two tourists walked in the whole reserve in the aim to find some water or help. But there were lost. “According to the map the Makutsi River should be close. Behind the trees. Be courageous. We are almost there,” Amie tried to motivate her friend. After half an hour of huge effort crossing the bushes they finally arrived to the river. There was not much water left but enough to plunge their hands and refresh their faces. They drank like they never did. It was so good. They had the impression to live again. Suddenly Jackie screamed. “But are you crazy?” replied Amie. “Look here!” she showed. A dead fish was floating. They immediately ran out of the river.

After an hour of walking the tourists saw a panel Makutsi Village 1km. They were tired but continued. They were so close to find some help. They were dreaming to eat some good food, to have a shower and to sleep in a bed. Amie and Jackie were two American friends that decided to do a Safari by themselves in South Africa to celebrate their twentieth birthday. Something was sure, they would never forget it! What an adventure!

When they arrived to the village they saw a vehicle leaving in a cloud of sand. “Hi! We are lost. We followed the panel until here. Can you help us?” Jackie asked. “I’m Charlie Jones, the guardian of this reserve. Tell me that you didn’t drink the water of the river?” he asked worried. “Yes…” answered Amie. “Oh no!” Suddenly the American girls were scared. What was wrong with the water? “What’s wrong?” asked the Dr Happonen when he joined the group. Charlie quickly resumed the situation. “They have to be transfer to the hospital as soon as possible,” the scientist advised. “Where’s Sarah? She can drive them to town,” Charlie said while he was looking for the girl. “She left with the car few minutes ago. She didn’t want to tell me where she was going,” replied Cindy. “Okay, Cindy you stay here and I drive the tourists and the scientists to town. Call me if anything happen here,” explained Charlie.  
Sarah left the car in the little car park in front of the main entrance of the fruit factory. She opened the door and asked a man in orange suit to indicate where was Mr Wumbatt. He told her and she climbed the stairs to access the second floor. It was dark and looked unfriendly. On the walls there were some old commercials. She knocked at the third door and entered. “Hi Sarah. So, how was it? Difficult?” the fat boss asked. “No, very easy in fact. Here is the laptop of the Finns and the samples,” the girl listed. “I’m impressed. Congratulations. Here is your reward.” He took an envelope from the drawer of his desk and gave it to Sarah who smiled. “Can I go now?” she asked. “No, stay here a bit longer. If you go back now, Jones and the scientists will ask you plenty of questions,” he explained.

Wumbatt left his factory and drove his car to town. He went to a café and sat next to a person that was reading a newspaper and wore sunglasses. “Did she succeed?” the woman asked. “Sure. Do you have some news for me?” Elliot asked, sweating. “Dallas is not doing his job. I saw him drinking beers at the pub with his friends. But there is another problem,” announced the spy. “Which one?” asked the boss more and more anxious. “The media. These stupid girls are running after him. I guess that to prove that he is a normal guy he goes to the bar,” she explained. “If Wednesday evening he has not killed the elephant, he is a dead man.” “Who will kill him?” Lolita asked. “You. I trust you. Sorry I’ve to leave. Kimberley is waiting for me.”

Harri and Janne were in the laboratory of the town. It was small and not very well equipped. “I’ll do my best but I’m pissed off to have to start again the analysis. It’s a total waste of time,” said the Dr Olli. “I’m here to help you. We’ll find. I promise,” replied Happonen. Harri turned on his iPod and listened to his favorite music while he was working. Happonen was working on another sample but the music didn’t help him to concentrate. “How can you work with that music?” he asked. “With ACDC I’m sure to find the solution. It’s because of that band that I saved the tigers in Bangladesh two years ago. Trust me, it will work once more.” Havu was sure about it. The problem was that for him that music was more noise than anything else. When he was working he preferred to listen to jazz or classical music. Rock was for parties. But he knew that Harri would not choose another band.

Four hours later Harri exclaimed: “Ammonium!” “Are you sure?” asked Janne Happonen. “Yes, it’s one of the toxics. I’ll find the others. I’m so happy!” continued the scientist who was born in Rovaniemi. Some minutes later Harri screamed of joy. “Ammonium and zinc! Thank you ACDC!” “You’re a genius! Thank you so much Harri. Let’s make some antidote and warn the hospitals.” “For the zinc pollution we need EDTA 5.0 and 7.0 and for the ammonium we need to give oxygen to the patients and they have to drink a lot of water because ammonium is very corrosive,” explained Harri who was an expert in toxicology. “But where can we find the EDTA?” asked Havu a bit perplex. “Well, let’s hope at the hospital and that they have enough to save a reserve!” wished Harri.

At the hospital they were very surprised when the two scientists asked for their stock of EDTA 5.0 and 7.0. But when they explained who they were and why they needed that product there was no hesitation. Outside they jumped in the first taxi that drove them very fast, maybe too much, on the sand roads to the Makutsi village.  
“We have the antidote!” exclaimed the Dr Happonen when he saw Charlie Jones almost running in his direction. “It’s fantastic. Let’s go to the river,” he added quite excited. When they were to the river Janne explained that they would pour half of the antidote in the river and the other half in a confluence at eighty kilometres. He gave it to Charlie. It was his reserve and it was a symbolic moment. He would save the wild life in the region. “Only the half,” repeated the Dr Happonen.

“What are they doing?” Ophelia Theo asked. She was on a big rock behind the group. She could see the river and the backs of the men. “I’ve to go closer,” she murmured to Catherin Badwin that was afraid of the height and couldn’t come closer. Suddenly Ophelia slipped, screamed, fall and pushed Charlie Jones in the river. The little bottle with the antidote disappeared in the brownish water. “What are you doing here? Are you crazy! Do you know what you just did? You must go to jail or be eaten by a lion!” almost shouted Janne Happonen that couldn’t believe to this stupid incident. “I’m sorry,” begged the woman with black curly hair. “We worked for hours to find a solution!” added Harri who was also quite upset. “I’m journalist and...” “Journalist? You wanted a scoop, now you have it with one of the biggest disasters in wild life environment,” continued Harri. “It’s not my fault. It’s my colleague who pushed me,” she justified. “Give up,” Happonen said to Harri whose face was red and wanted to add some unpleasant comments.

In the office of Elliot Wumbatt, the boss of the fruit factory and the mysterious Kimberley Brook were drinking some sparkling wine. “We are the winners. I can’t believe it. We did it,” Wumbatt said. “But I want more,” added the elegant lady who was wearing a light pink suit. “What else?” Wumbatt asked without understanding what else she could expect. “Tell to your guys to pour the leftover of the poison to the river. After this operation even the bananas will not grow up anymore,” she explained. “And my factory?” “Forget about it. Think bigger. You’ll be rich and you could do whatever you want.” “You’re right. Let’s forget this factory that is almost bankrupt,” the fat boss concluded.  
After the incident near the river the two journalists were walking in the savanna. Ophelia was sure that the man that they met in the morning was a poacher and that she could write an article about him. But the problem was that he was probably dangerous. Some minutes later they saw him in the grass with his rifle ready to shoot the elephant. “Hey you! What are you doing?” she asked loudly. He was surprised and shot but luckily missed his target. The elephant ran away in a cloud of sand. “Oh shit, the journalists,” he murmured for himself. He faced the girls with his weapon. “You, come to me. And you, if you move, you’re dead,” he ordered. Ophelia came close to that monster that smelled bad. Didn’t he know what a deodorant was? Or a shower? He held her very strongly. “Let me go! Churl! Killer! Murder!” “Shut up lady!” he shouted. “Help Catherin! Do something!” Ophelia begged in a panic. But she was too scared to move. When Jim Dallas went away with her colleague she ran as fast as possible.

In the village the two Finns were packing. Their mission was finished. Some minutes ago they got a phone call from Pretoria that was sending in emergency some more antidotes for the confluence. Janne Happonen was bringing a bag to the car when suddenly he saw Catherin Badwin arriving, out of breathe. “My colleague... Ophelia Theo... the poacher... the elephant... the rifle...” she pronounced with difficulties. She was not a sporty person and that effort was too much for her. She thought that her heart would explode. “Calm down and explain everything from the beginning,” said Havu while he gave her some water. Charlie Jones and Harri Olli arrived. They wanted to know what happened to the other journalist. Even if it was a park the animals were wild and it happened, luckily rarely, that one of them attacked humans. “I was walking with Ophelia in the park. Suddenly in the grass we saw the poacher who wanted to kill the elephant. Ophelia wanted to stop him but he kidnapped her!” she exclaimed. “Where did it happen?” asked Jones. “I don’t know but I can show you,” she said.  
Somewhere in the savanna Ophelia Theo was tied up to a chair in the wooden hunting house of Jim Dallas. “You can’t do it. I’m journalist. A famous journalist. I’ve interviewed the president,” she lied. “I don’t care. It will not stop me. I’ll kill you if you don’t shut up,” he warned. She was frightened. That guy had no pity.

Janne Happonen went discreetly to the fruit factory. He was convinced that the pollution came from there but he needed some evidences. He checked the grids and saw that there was no video camera. He jumped over it and ran to the door. He listened. No noise. He opened it and walked silently. On the wall there was a poster that looked pretty old with a man smiling with a basket of oranges and bananas in front of him. Was he Wumbatt? Havu didn’t waste time. He continued to walk. At the end of the corridor he turned right. On the door it was written access not allowed to unauthorized people. Surprisingly the door was not locked. He thought that the security was very bad in that factory. He walked behind the wooden boxes that were ready for the next order of oranges. A man was walking in an orange suit in the direction of the exit. Janne was surprised. “Why do employees need a protection suit?” he said for himself.

When he was sure that nobody could see him, Happonen walked close to the left of the room. And there he discovered the truth. There were at least ten jerry cans of zinc and ammonium! He took his phone from his pocket and took a picture. At that moment he had evidence that it was really the Wumbatt factory that was at the origin of the pollution. Then he exited quickly before someone noticed that a stranger was there.

In the corridor he found Sarah. “What are you doing here?” he asked very surprised. “I wanted to know if Wumbatt was the polluter,” the girl lied. “Okay, go back to the village and say to Charlie that Wumbatt is the responsible of the disaster. He’ll know what to do,” the Dr Happonen gave as instructions.

When she left he walked to the corridor. But in the stairs he was not alone. There was a blond woman with dark clothes. “What are you doing here?” she asked suspicious. “I’ve to talk to the boss. I know what’s going on here,” the scientist answered, accusing. “I know who you are Iceman and I know what you want to do. But I won’t let you do,” she threatened. She took her knife and jumped against the Finn. Luckily he saw it on time and blocked her wrist. But the lady was very energetic and hit violently his belly and pushed him in the stairs. He lost his balance and roll in the stairs until the ground. He got up immediately and blocked her against the wall before she used her knife that fall on the floor. “I hate to hit woman, but here I have no choice sorry,” he said before to hit her neck. She fell on the floor next to the knife, unconscious. He checked that she was still alive before to climb the stairs.  
Kimberley was walking back to the office when she saw the spy on the floor. She immediately concluded that something went wrong. Was it Dallas that became crazy? Or someone from the reserve that discovered the truth? She judged the situation too risky and she drove her car to the airport. It was time to fly back to London.

“End the mission... yes all the jerry cans and destroy all the documents,” the boss ordered by phone to his employee. “Cancel your order immediately!” demanded Janne Happonen while he entered in the room. He had his phone in his hand and Wumbatt was afraid that the conversation was recorded. “What are you doing here? And I’m just running my business.” “I will not repeat it twice. The police are on the way. If you don’t want to spend the rest of your life in jail and be the responsible of the destruction of the wild life I advise that you call back your employee. And no need to waste time to call your bodyguard. She is sleeping on the floor,” explained calmly the Dr Happonen. Wumbatt was pale. The game was over. He took the phone and in a shy voice told to his employee to ignore his last order. He had to repeat twice. Janne stayed in the office until the policemen arrived to arrest the devilish boss that only though of becoming rich. “It was not my idea! It was the project of Kimberley Brook!” he confessed to avoid a couple of years of prison. And it was the truth. He was just one element in that story and not the manager of this stupid idea.  
Jim Dallas was furious. He wanted to terminate his mission and get his money as soon as possible. When he saw the elephant eating the leaves of a tree, he laid down and prepared his rifle. The sun was high in the sky and it was burning. The temperature was probably over 40°C. Some flies were flying around. One landed on his nose. He splashed it immediately and concentrated again on his target. He saw that on the right a family of lions was having a nap. They were too lazy to do anything.

“Hey! You here!” a woman ordered. The poacher didn’t have time to react that she was sat on his back and pressing his face in the sand. “Where is Ophelia! Answer!” she ordered while she was almost suffocating the poor man that was unable to pronounce a word. “Calm down, Catherin. Let him breath, please,” Charlie Jones begged. “What were you doing?” the guardian of the reserve asked. “I was observing the wild animal with my scope because I don’t have binoculars,” he explained with a strange smile on his face. “Sure. And you need your rifle with your scope to observe the animal,” accused Janne Happonen. “You know, these animals are wild and sometimes you don’t know what’s going on in their brain and they decide to attack. I’ve already once killed a buffalo that was running to me. Not in this reserve and many years ago,” Jim Dallas specified. “I know who you are. You are Jim Dallas, the best poacher of the whole country. In my office I’ve a picture of all the guys that are persona non grata in the reserves and you are one of them. So, now let your rifle on the ground, get up and tell us where is Ophelia Theo,” Jones asked calmly. The poacher shook his hat to get rid of the sand and wore it. “This bitch is in my hunting cottage.” Catherin Badwin wanted to protest but Charlie Jones was quicker. “So, let’s go. Show us where she is.”

Harri Olli took the rifle that was on the ground and walked at the back of the group with Janne. “Do you know how to use it?” asked Happonen. “I hope that you are kidding. I was a sniper in the army and when I was young I was hunting with my father in the forest. I’m very good. And now I’m hunting every autumn. I should show you my skills once,” Harri explained. “I’m very impressed. You have multiple talents.” “And you don’t know everything about me,” he added with a wink.

Dallas opened the door of his illegal cottage that was well-hidden behind rocks and bushes. The prisoner was on the floor, still tied up on the chair. “Help me! Help me!” she almost screamed. “I’m here!” exclaimed Catherin that made her colleague free. “So know I will demolish this cottage because it’s illegal and then you will never see me here, okay man?” Dallas asked to Charlie Jones. “No way! You’re a criminal and you will go to jail until your last breathe!” he replied. “But I showed you where this... this woman was and she is alive and I have not been bad with her,” he justified. “Yes, and the five rhinoceros and three elephants that you killed last year in other parks?” Jones reminded. Dallas stayed mute.  
Kimberley Brook arrived at the airport of London. She was tired and wanted to go home. She was sure that Jim Dallas killed the elephant and that Elliot Wumbatt would call in the following hours to announce the good news. But when she was on the tarmac five policemen were waiting for her. “Miss Brook, we arrest you for the poisoning of the Makutsi River in South Africa, the plan to kill a protected animal and to associate with a criminal, Mr Jim Dallas. Please follow us,” the tallest man said. She stayed silent and was angry. She knew that the game was over, the elephant was still alive and that Wumbatt and Dallas were probably also arrested.

At the end of the afternoon, Charlie Jones got a phone call from Pretoria saying that the confluence was saved. He smiled and announced the good news to everybody that applauded. “I’ve to thank you personally. Without your help it would have be a total disaster. Thank you Dr Happonen.” “Thank you but without the help of Harri...” he stopped talking and looked around. Where was his colleague? Suddenly Harri exited the cottage with a wide smile on his face. “I’ve analyzed a last sample and I confirm that the water is clear again,” he explained while Charlie hugged him strongly in his arms. Harri was a bit surprised but smiled. Cindy, the little black girl, arrived and said: “With Sarah we prepared a little party to celebrate this success and to thank you. Music, Sarah!” Sarah pressed the play button of the hi-fi. She was thinking if she should tell that it was her that stole the laptop but finally she decided to keep her secret. Just before to join the party Janne Happonen put his hand on the shoulder of his colleague. “Thanks Harri. Without you it would have been almost impossible to save the reserve. You did a great job.” “You don’t need to thank me. We are a team and I did my job. You arrested this monster. You are the hero of the day,” Harri commented. “No, we are the heroes of the day,” Janne added with a wink. “You’re right. And we’ll never stop fighting to arrest all these Nature destructors,” the Finn with the Australian hat concluded.

The end


End file.
